Decanter centrifuges and associated acceleration pipes and methods are provided. In accordance with an example, an acceleration pipe for use with a decanter centrifuge including a feed pipe and a screw conveyor having an acceleration chamber includes an acceleration pipe body adapted to be coupled to and rotate with the screw conveyor. The acceleration pipe body includes an acceleration pipe inlet and an acceleration pipe outlet. The acceleration pipe body defines an acceleration pipe flow path extending between the acceleration pipe inlet and the acceleration pipe outlet. The acceleration pipe body is adapted to receive a suspension at the acceleration pipe inlet from the feed pipe and to rotate the suspension, based on a corresponding rotation of the screw conveyor, prior to the suspension exiting the acceleration pipe outlet and being received by the acceleration chamber of the screw conveyor.

Decanter centrifuges and associated acceleration pipes and methods are provided. In accordance with an example, an acceleration pipe for use with a decanter centrifuge including a feed pipe and a screw conveyor having an acceleration chamber includes an acceleration pipe body adapted to be coupled to and rotate with the screw conveyor. The acceleration pipe body includes an acceleration pipe inlet and an acceleration pipe outlet. The acceleration pipe body defines an acceleration pipe flow path extending between the acceleration pipe inlet and the acceleration pipe outlet. The acceleration pipe body is adapted to receive a suspension at the acceleration pipe inlet from the feed pipe and to rotate the suspension, based on a corresponding rotation of the screw conveyor, prior to the suspension exiting the acceleration pipe outlet and being received by the acceleration chamber of the screw conveyor.

The present invention relates to a method of dewatering post fermentation fluids in a starch to ethanol process. More particularly the invention relates to use of a nuclease enzyme for separation of whole stillage into an insoluble fraction and a supernatant fraction. In a specific embodiment the present invention relates to a method of dewatering whole stillage comprising the steps of: i) subjecting whole stillage to one or more nuclease enzymes; ii) separating the material into an insoluble fraction and a supernatant fraction.

The present invention relates to a method of dewatering post fermentation fluids in a starch to ethanol process. More particularly the invention relates to use of a nuclease enzyme for separation of whole stillage into an insoluble fraction and a supernatant fraction. In a specific embodiment the present invention relates to a method of dewatering whole stillage comprising the steps of: i) subjecting whole stillage to one or more nuclease enzymes; ii) separating the material into an insoluble fraction and a supernatant fraction.

A centrifuge provided with: a bowl having a plurality of extension lugs formed on an opening rim section at one end of the bowl in the axial direction, the extension lugs being spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction; a screw conveyer rotatably housed inside the bowl and rotatable at a different rotational speed than the bowl; a hub forming solid discharge ports between circumferentially adjacent pairs of the extension lugs, the hub connecting to the extension lugs and covering an opening of the opening rim section from the axial direction; and a wear-resistant sleeve including a sleeve body and a flange. The sleeve body covers lug inner surfaces of the extension lugs and the flange extends in an arced shape along the opening rim section. The sleeve body is attached with axially extending bolts to the opening rim section at a position that avoids the extension lugs.

A centrifuge provided with: a bowl having a plurality of extension lugs formed on an opening rim section at one end of the bowl in the axial direction, the extension lugs being spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction; a screw conveyer rotatably housed inside the bowl and rotatable at a different rotational speed than the bowl; a hub forming solid discharge ports between circumferentially adjacent pairs of the extension lugs, the hub connecting to the extension lugs and covering an opening of the opening rim section from the axial direction; and a wear-resistant sleeve including a sleeve body and a flange. The sleeve body covers lug inner surfaces of the extension lugs and the flange extends in an arced shape along the opening rim section. The sleeve body is attached with axially extending bolts to the opening rim section at a position that avoids the extension lugs.

A solid bowl centrifuge includes a rotatable drum having a cylindrical portion with length L.sub.1 and a conical portion with length L.sub.2, which, when added, give the length L.sub.T of the drum. A screw is arranged in the drum and is rotatable relative to the rotatable drum with a differential speed. At least two drum bearings for supporting the drum in the housing are spaced apart with a spacing L.sub.L. A spacing L.sub.L of the drum bearings for supporting the drum relative to one another is less than the length L.sub.T of the drum.

A solid bowl centrifuge includes a rotatable drum having a cylindrical portion with length L.sub.1 and a conical portion with length L.sub.2, which, when added, give the length L.sub.T of the drum. A screw is arranged in the drum and is rotatable relative to the rotatable drum with a differential speed. At least two drum bearings for supporting the drum in the housing are spaced apart with a spacing L.sub.L. A spacing L.sub.L of the drum bearings for supporting the drum relative to one another is less than the length L.sub.T of the drum.

Gas-tight decanter centrifuge process for separation of volatile organic compounds from drilling fluid. A method is described for removing low gravity solids from a mixture of recovered oil based drilling fluid and low gravity solids and diluent. A gas-tight decanter centrifuge that is designed and constructed for this purpose in a gas-tight manor so to ensure vapour cannot escape the decanting process, and foreign oxygen cannot enter the process under normal operating conditions.

Extracting and separating solid particulates from a drilling fluid includes combining a stream of drilling fluid containing solid particulates with a liquefied gas to form a mixture having a reduced viscosity and/or density. The mixture enters a centrifugal separator at a pressure sufficient to keep the liquefied gas in a liquid phase where rotational forces promote the separation of at least a portion of the solid particulates from the mixture. At least a portion of the solid particulates are removed to form a fluid stream having reduced solids content. In embodiments the liquefied gas can be selected from the group consisting of an inert gas, an alkane gas, an alkene gas, an alkyne gas, a noble gas, and combinations thereof. The liquefied gas can be removed from the fluid stream after the centrifugal separator and recycled back to be mixed with the stream of drilling fluid containing solid particulates.